Tfobacco-leaf-stemnhng machinei



Nil/622,587.

Patented Apr. 4, I899. A. B. ALLISON.

TOBACCO LEAF STEMMING MACHINE.

' (Application filed m. 25, 1898.) ("0 Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

ILL HIHH r I Patented Apr. 4, |a99"."- A. R. ALLISON. TnBAcco LEAF snzmmm; momma.-

(Lpplication filed Mar- 25, 1898.) (No Model.)

3 Sheets8heet 2 'u' will! H) I INVENTOP flR.JZZZ,zL5'07Z I (0 0%wmw/ u m ATTUfi/VEYJ A. R. ALLISON. TOBACCO LEAF STEMMING MACHINE.

A lication filed Mar. 25, 1898.)

Patented Apr. 4, I399.

(No flcdol.) v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

lll l minim; P

UN TED STATES 'hLPHOESO Ross ALLISON, OF RICHM O N l VIRGINIA-,7 ASSI =AN'D MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO TI1E:;UNIVERSAL s'n' COMPANY,- OF SALE PLACE."

000.5 LEAFf-"STE I V I M m e MACH 1 M E--.

Be-ihkiiown that I,: AILPHONSQJRQS fiqi iiiresid hga R e ond, i thel-eounty f "This 569E175;def ed;' -'Qe1;oher 13. 1896, granted to B1,. W; Oqifee 111 the type of marshinesdiselosedj byjsai @tPate'nq No. 569,575 the wiper mieehah'ism eerisist's ef a pair of superimposed eoeperative rolls arraligeglat an aeuteangie t0 the feed mechanism; 'whieh is' so disposed,

sis toearry the Ie'aff hori zefiizal ly sidewise in .a, ifiiene paflallel with -the' iee itecti g or wiper enemi s o th i ppel zw 1111'; mirepractieaiu e a mne af 1115 kind.

.fliei s ltsfhave zis tnbeenaiai w n i desired ,imbhe recess of separaising thejstem fromflOne 'pf-the mostggr ioue Objections in the use of maehiiie's ofthiseharaeter having mi per dev-ieeezoperative fer; 3 positive and un varying pressure I {and I; 'hgvjifig mechanical feed meehahism's' s rehashave heretofore been em gieyed vtherewithi is: th'atthe pressure Q11 "the butt-end of the;lea.if,-" whereijtthe more tena- 'eio sly adheres to Lhe etem, and gthetipendj ef'jth'e' leaf', Where in audgthe seem are. more J. .ffligile', being the same the leaves, and the; stemshalv'ejbeen "more er flessiernshed, 130mm,; {on brekeii andt'he staple rendfere'q. more .or flle'ss'unfib fior its best 11568; I In'Q-t'his-kind 0f- ?machine'e -iniprovemefijzs-have-been made, as

shown iii Patent; 595,041,fgranted teW,

devices-ibh'at i toi'say', th'e feed of v theleaf during its travelithreqgh the Wiper's-a-ndih e speed of thesaid wipersremains regulate In inventioil relahesvgeiierally rto a classofr tohaeco-leaf-stefirming rnaehiues whereiii j theleafis aetedhponfby Sag-positive and tinvarying preesqre"fi poniall ortiensthereo f, and" it mloige partieuiarly re ers in that type. of machine vsileh-hs, i sfd-isclesedin Batent NO., substantially the same wiping or stripping timij l is P n ve "19? h b sh-re ult '.leaf-.stemming-i. eg pp I thel'ea;f threugh the wipers see September- 24, 1895, i -wyi i h- Butler and Oofiee payee ,Anotherserions def 5 that-.elassof machines abo'vereferret t-o is" i action oneaeh sideofzgchesfi m. .at their "point? of" enga'geme vportion of, the feed will be,

irregular ozpajerky wiping-epraitio iAt-iithisappeint it PATENT QFFICE;

,tipha've-been provided} I This mes-ima ,1mg is believed, does not ept'irely overeon ethe b Furthermore, zv he r -1111;) iper,CIeyieee are arranged atg an veggie 30 th 1 feegl, as in thesaidrggfi I etler; atents, and hheleaf ief d fqrward'm arhg zon tal directional; dperztjsioniisffefiedreyerse to that which practieiaiez; 'menb sphave gleil e temgfm patent to A. H. Ooehrame, {or

leaf is 'efieeted by he other words, mechani ns h as shown mt i ig the stem instead of th that; the leaffa-s it entere; fihew ip ingidevtiees; mustof: ieeessity begd a.;w "meg-them; the acute angle (rearwargly can begin their stripping e imitating the portion f' .e -;1eaf

type s t'atedj assume;

'stantialiyat.right'angles'ftouthe :ixi ef' the Wiper-170.l1s it follows that a h ;f'1ea.1f.wia 1 0 lone besubjeetged-tm i-fieigential eprigppin he r aware'that machines are provided in which the stem is pulled from the leaf and the stem held its entire length practically at right angles to the axis of the wipenor stripper rolls, and I shall hereinafter fully set out .wherein my improved feed-devices dilferentiate from such means and the advantage of their conover the face of-the lower wiper-roll,and thereby frequently crushed or broken and rendered unfit for their best uses.

"lhe leading object of my invention is the production of means for accomplishing the stemmilig operation in an automatic, expeditious,and thorough mannerwhich in its structure is of a very few parts, capable of economical man ufacture, which can beeasily manipulated, and which will positivelyefiec't the resuit desired with aminimum amount of waste or defective separation of thestem and leaf portions. a

Another and essential feature of this invention is to provide a feed means for wiper mechanisms having positive and unvarying pressure and uniform speed which will hold the leaf and stem in such contact with the wiper devices as to efiect a positive separation of the leaf from the stem and remove the 5 stripped or separated portions ofthe leaf from contact-with either of the said rolls as it is stripped from'the stem.

Another object is to provide a simple and eifective means embodying a combined stripping mechanism havinga uniform speed and pressure and a feed mechanism for holding the leaf' and stem inengagement therewith, whereby the butt-end or the more tenacious portion of the leaf will besubjected to a 5 wiping act-ion greater than that of the thinner or less tenacious partsofthe. leaf, proportionate to the o more tenaciously atone side of thestem than ,it does at tho pointdirectly on the opposite aide, it is difficult to obtain a perfect separation of the leaf from the stem by a strippingaction lengthwise ofthe same alone, as awip- 5 ing pressure oraction which will properly remove the least tenacious parts ofthe'blade -from one side of the stem ,will'oftent'earthe corresponding part of the blade on' the. other side of the stem ndleave -p'artsthereof ad;

heringl to the -said stein-.',,-.

To providefor'separatingall parts of the leaffrom' the stem, I haveprodu'ced the feed means, which wi ll not only-draw the leafbodyand the stems through the same but at the same time draw them at an angle'to the line of rotation of therolls to engage the card-' teeth, stripper-grooves, or faces in the dire'cvarying degree of tenacity of the difierent pa\t's of the leaf. lAs the'blade portion'of the tobacco-leaf freqhentlyadheres V .ibetweenf the said wiping portions.

tion transverse to the rotation of the rolls, whereby to cause the stem and leaf-body to tend to rub transversely against the stripperfaces, and also to slightly turn the leaf and stem to create a partial rotary action thereof as it is receiving a stripping action in the direction ofits length.

A-still further object of my'invention is to provide a feed mechanism-having devices for holding the stem which differ from the grip devices heretofore employed in :that it has i a clearly-defined means for engaging the stem-butt and holding'jtjrom being pulled away from the feeder, asfrequently occurs in grip devices depending onthe-friptionalcon- I tact for holding the stem.

In its subordinate features. my invention Figure 1 is a'perspective'view of a form of tobacco -stemm in g machine embodying the general features of my invention. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the same, the guide devices for lifting the leaf to the feeder being also shown. Fig. 3 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a detail view illustratingthe'devicesv for adjusting the endless-belt shafts; Figs.

4 and 5 are detail views of the grip device hereinafter-specifically referred to. Fig. 6 is a detailvie'w of theleaf-guide, and Fig. 7

is a detail view showing the stripping-beltsprovided with card-clothing. Fig. Sis a view of a modification hereinafter referred to. p

In its practical construction my improve of increased; pliability fromthe entrant to the exit ends of thewiping portion of the belts, and'a feed mechanism mounted on the frame and arranged to carry the leaf cross wise to the stripping-belts and the stem up The frame, which "may be of any'suitable construction in the form shown, consists of .the base 1, upon which is mounted a pair of standards 22*, each of which supports a transverse bed-sill 3 3 on which are mounted the bearing-boxes 4 4? forthe wiping-belt-driving'shafts 5 5, which' have their front ends 5" extended and carry dri ve-p'ulleys 6 6,as clearly shown in- Figs. 1 and 3.

' 7 7 indicate a pair of pulleys held in the same horizontal plane with the pulleys 6 (they, however, being preferably of asmaller diameter) and placed near the center of the sill 3, spaced apartin such a manner that'- when the wiping or stripping endless bolts 8 are mounted thereon and the rolls G-their cooperative faces will be separated just sumciently to admit of the passage of the leafstem. These belts in the preferred form, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are of flexible material and corrugated or grooved lengthwise, as

at S, which grooves are of the maximum width at the entrance end of the wiping-face of the belt and of grad ually-diminishin g width to their opposite end, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

TVhile I have illustrated wiping-surfaces in the nature of endless belts mounted on rolls and having means for effecting a proper ad-' able and the boxes 4: pivotal on their supporting-sills 3 3 and providing the front boxes 4 with ad justing-screws 9, as shown in Fig. 3, and forming said belts with longitudinal corrugating or cog teeth of gradually-diminishin g gripping-s urface,whereby a greater surface of the wiping-faces will engage with the leaf-stem at the entrant end of the wipers than at the exit end thereof, it is manifest that myimproved arrangement of feed mechanism may be employed with other forms of stripping devices having wiping actionfor example, with the form of wipers shown in the Gofiee and Butler patents, hereinbefore referred to. It should be stated, however, in the practical application of my particular form of feed mechanism I have. found the best results by combining same with wipingsurfaces mounted on endless belts having the wiping-surfaces arrangedin the manner fully disclosed in a copending application, Serial No. 689,856,1iled on August 30, 1898, by myself and O. E. Buek.

So far as described, it will readily be seen that the stripping-rolls are held to operate with a positive unvarying pressure. By providing for operating on the successive portions of the leaf to a varying extent greatest at the butt-end, where the leaf is the most tenacious, and least at the tip of the leaf, I employ a novel form of feed mechanism, which per se and in combination with the peculiar arrangement of the wiping mechanism forms the essential feature of this invention.

Broadly, my novel form of feeder has for its purpose to draw the stem through the wiping mechanism in the same manner as can be effected by hand manipulation, slowly at that point where it needs receivethe most wiping for stripping off the blade from the stem and with gradually-increased swiftness as it reaches its tip, it also having for its purpose to so move the leaf to the strippers that the extreme butt-end of each and every leaf carried forward thereby will be engaged by the wiping devices and stripped therebyfrom the stem, and, again, to effect a partial rotary action of the stem and leaf as it is being drawn up between the said strippers.

As the simplest way of illustrating the means for mechanically carrying the leaf through the stripping mechanism in the manner stated I have shown a rotary disk 10, which is held to rotate at right angles to the movement of the stripper-belts, it being held loose on the shaft 10, fixedly held in its supports and so disposed that the peripheral edge of the disk 10 will just pass over the contact-point of the wiping-faces of the belt, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, by reference to which it will also be seen the vertical axis of the feed-disk is nearly over the entrance end of the wiperfaces of the stripping-belts. To provide for a quick and accurate feed of the leaf to the stripper-belts, such disk hassuitable automatieally-operated grip devices to clamp the leaf-stem at a proper point, securely hold it as it is drawn between the stripper-belts, and to carry it after it has been stripped to a suitable point of discharge, where they auto matically release the stem. Various means for effecting such operation may be provided; but I prefer using a solid rotary disk 10, on which the leaf-engaging means are mounted, and such means consist, preferably, of a series of equidistant disposed hinged gripplates 11, operating at the peripheral edge of the disk 10 to close thereagainst and clamp the stem between it and such disk.

For automatically opening and closing the hinged plates at proper intervals each hingeplate is loosely joined to a rock-lever 12, fulcrumed on a U-shaped bearing 13 and secured to the disk 10, the lower ends of such levers being bent outward and carrying friction-rollers 14, adapted to travel on a camring 15, secured to or integrally formed with the disk or frame member 16, which is attached to the shaft 10, so that said cam is held stationary.

As will be clearlyseen in Fig. 2, the ring 15 has a depressed or cam portion 15 at a point just in advance of the vertical axis of the disk and another, but rising, cam portion 15 at a point preferably at an angle of about forty-five degrees below the horizontal axis of the disk, so as to cause the plates 11 to open as they pass the vertical in Fig. 1, or by laying them onto a suitable guide 17, disposed in linewith the cam 15 as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

By using the guides 17 it is manifest the operator need but lay the leaf thereon with its stem projecting in the path of the movement of the plates 11.

By providing a feed mechanism as described it is manifest no skill or special manipulation is required to feed the tobacco-leaves to the rotary carrier, the construction'of the grip devices being of such a character as to insure a positive operation thereof, and thereby reducing the danger of missing a leaf as it is fed to the carrier to a minimu n1.

As before stated, one of the essential features of this invention is to provide means drop to the vertical position until its butt-end engages the wiping-line of the strippingbelts, when it will assume a position at an acute angle to the said wiping-line and be drawn along practically in a horizontal direction from the entrance end Z of the strippers to the point Y, and during such movement receive no draw or pull action upward. Thus the butt or most tenacious end of the leaf receives a continuous wiping action between the points Z Y, thereby insuring a positive and complete separation of the blade from the stem at the butt-end. After the leaf passes the point Y, it and the stem will be subjected to an upward draw action, it being obvious that as the same is drawn upward by a rotary lift mechanism its draw speed will be a diiferential one from .Y to Y, being slowest at the point Y and gradually increasing from such point toward Y. Although the pressure of the stripper-faces of the belts is unvarying and their speed of rotation is uniform, the leaf and stem will be subjected to a variable wiping action more extended on that portion where itis most needed and of a gradually-diminishing extent on the successively-increased weaker or fragile portions of the leaf and stem. Furthermore, as the leaf and stem are retarded in their vertical movement by the wiping action effected thereon at right angles to its line of travel it follows that in passing between the strippers it will be drawn therebetween diagonally to the wiping movement thereof. By thus moving over the strippers the wiping action will not be entirely lengthwise on the stem, but also in a measure at a transverse angle thereto,

which will effect a partial rotary movement of the stem, and thereby subject its longitudinal edges to the varying combined transverse and longitudinal action, which, owing to its varied action, will serve to positively strip off the varied tenacious clinging portions of the blade, and thereby leave the stem absolutely stripped from its butt to its point as it leaves the strippers.

By providinga feed mechanism which carries the leaf practically suspended and draws it up through the strippers it follows that as the blade is separated from the stem it is held from resting on any part of the stripper devices and free from engagement therewith, so as to prevent its being torn or crushed by contact with such devices after it has been stripped from the stem.

To provide for a positive grip of the stem, the plates 11 may have thin prongs 11, adapted to pass through the stem and enter sockets 11 in the disk 10. WVhen such form of gripplates are used, suitable means are also provided for removing the stripped stem from such plate as the grip-faces open, one form of such means being shown in Fig. 8 and consisting of a flexible tripper or guide 20, with which the loop on the stem engages and by which it is retarded and pulled from the prongs 11. Any suitable drive-gearing is used to rotate disk 10. In the drawings such disk has a hub provided with a worm-wheel 21, which meshes with the worm-gear 22 on the bearingshaft 23.

I have made no claim, broadly, to the arrangement and construction of the stripperbelts, as this forms the subject-matter of another application filed by me November 18, 1898, Serial No. 696,796.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Atobacco-leaf stemming means, compris ing stripper mechanism having a wiping action on the leaf, and automatically-operated feed devices for drawing the leaf through the said stripping mechanism at a varying speed.

2. A leaf-stemming means, comprising a wiping mechanism having a uniform stripping action throughout the length of its wiping-line and devices for drawing the leaf through such wiping mechanism at a varying speed.

3. Leaf-stemming means; comprisingstripping mechanism having coacting surfaces op-' grad ually diminishing in size from the entrant to the exit end for the purposes specified.

5. A leaf-stemming machine, comprising stripper means having coacting opposing surfaces, in operation effecting a wiping action;

' faces and drawing it diagonally between them at a varying speed, as specified.

7. In a machine of the class described; a

stripping mechanism having coacting opposing surfaces adapted to work with a wiping action; means for conveying the leaf in the direction of the length of the opposing surfaces, said means including a mechanism for moving the leaf in the direction substantially parallel to the line of contact of the strippingsurfaces during the wiping action of the extreme butt-end of the leaf and then for combining with that motion a motion away from the wiping surfaces so as to draw the leaf lengthwise between said coacting surfaces.

8. Leaf-stemming means to operate with a wiping action upon the leaf; comprising a pair of endless belts whose upper surfaces move toward each other in a horizontal-plane and having coactin g opposing surfaces where they pass over supporting-rolls; and a rotary feed mechanism adapted to' carry the stem of the leaf in a plane at right angles to the plane of horizontal movement of the belts and having devices for drawing the leaf between the wiping-surfaces of said belts, as specified.

9. In combination with leaf-stemming mechanism constructed to operate with a wiping action on the leaf; means for feeding and drawing the leaf between the wiping-surfaces of the stemming mechanism, said means comprising a rotary carrier; clamps mounted thereon for gripping the butoend of the leaf-stem, and cam devices on the carrier for automatically operating to close and open the stem-engaging clamps at predetermined intervals, substantially as and for the purposes described.

10. In a machine as described; the combination of a strippingmechanism having a wiping action; of means for feeding the leaf between the coacting surfaces of such stripper mechanism, com'prisin g a rotary carrier; grip devices mounted on such carrier, means for 12. A stemming-machine, embodying the I following elements,in combination; strippingsurfaces arranged to operate with a wiping action on the leaf; and a leaf-feeding mechanism comprising a rotary carrier having movement in the plane in which the wiping-surfaces coact, said carrier having a portion projected forward of the entrant end of the said stripping-surfaces, said portion having means for gripping the leaf before it approaches the entrant end of the said stripping-surfaces and to draw the leaf through the said surfaces as specified.

ALPHONSO ROSS ALLISON. Witnesses:

N- L'onon, D. A. RITCHIE. 

